Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bansko and Banda Aceh

For one person, living is cheaper in Banda Aceh: $320 a month against $965 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bansko
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$965
/mo nomad
Banda Aceh
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$320
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bansko and in Banda Aceh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bansko and in Banda Aceh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $965 per month in Bansko vs $320 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

  • Bansko $965
  • Banda Aceh $320

A couple spends around $1,481 per month in Bansko vs $511 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

  • Bansko $1,481
  • Banda Aceh $511

A family of three spends $1,998 per month in Bansko vs $702 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

  • Bansko $1,998
  • Banda Aceh $702

Bansko costs about 201% more than Banda Aceh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Bansko and Banda Aceh are more affordable than the global median – Bansko 29% lower, Banda Aceh 76% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bansko
Banda Aceh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.74 BGN 15.20
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
304.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.37 BGN 80.7
$6.74 Rp 121.3K
587.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.92 BGN 15.52
$3.34 Rp 60.1K
167.07%
Cappuccino
$2.27 BGN 3.94
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
92.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 BGN 2.73
$0.38 Rp 6,778
313.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.54
$0.21 Rp 3,774
323.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.73 BGN 3.01
$2.47 Rp 44.5K
-29.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 BGN 3.39
$3.94 Rp 70.9K
-50.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bansko
Banda Aceh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 BGN 3.11
$1.64 Rp 29.6K
9.15%
White Bread (500g)
$0.81 BGN 1.42
$0.86 Rp 15.5K
-5.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 BGN 2.62
$0.80 Rp 14.5K
88.75%
Eggs
$2.35 BGN 4.09
$1.65 Rp 29.7K
42.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.55 BGN 16.61
$8.49 Rp 152.9K
12.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.63 BGN 11.54
$2.42 Rp 43.6K
173.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.37 BGN 14.57
$6.59 Rp 118.7K
27.01%
Apples (1kg)
$1.30 BGN 2.26
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
-40.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$0.85 Rp 15.4K
97.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.68 BGN 2.92
$0.80 Rp 14.4K
110.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.92 BGN 3.34
$0.85 Rp 15.3K
125.88%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 BGN 1.63
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
18.99%
Onion (1kg)
$0.75 BGN 1.31
$3.42 Rp 61.5K
-78.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.59 BGN 1.02
$0.82 Rp 14.7K
-28.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 BGN 1.02
$0.40 Rp 7,281
45.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.26 BGN 5.67
$3.02 Rp 54.4K
7.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.20 BGN 9.04
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 BGN 1.98
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 BGN 3.03
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Bansko
Banda Aceh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.90 BGN 1.57
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.72 BGN 46.50
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.30 BGN 2.26
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.61 BGN 1.06
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.29 BGN 17.91
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.56 BGN 2.71
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
87.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K BGN 50.7K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K BGN 37.1K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bansko
Banda Aceh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.8 BGN 161
$33.38 Rp 600.8K
178.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.05 BGN 26.18
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
560.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.19 BGN 21.21
$23.39 Rp 421.0K
-47.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bansko
Banda Aceh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.83 BGN 57.1
$9.66 Rp 173.8K
239.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.40 BGN 14.61
$13.06 Rp 235.2K
-35.68%
Cinema Ticket
$5.56 BGN 9.67
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bansko
Banda Aceh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$230 BGN 400
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,295 BGN 3,994
$1,931 Rp 34.8M
18.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bansko
Banda Aceh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.31 BGN 52.7
$27.16 Rp 488.9K
11.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.41 BGN 33.78
$22.04 Rp 396.8K
-11.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$45.34 BGN 78.9
$43.60 Rp 784.8K
3.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$48.47 BGN 84.3
$27.35 Rp 492.3K
77.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bansko
Banda Aceh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$514 BGN 894
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$361 BGN 627
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$630 BGN 1,096
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$571 BGN 993
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,202 BGN 2,091
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$972 BGN 1,691
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bansko
Banda Aceh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,665 BGN 2,898
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.99
0
-

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bansko: October 18, 2026

Last update for Banda Aceh: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bansko
$361
Banda Aceh
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Bansko
$194
Banda Aceh
$133 * 31.5% $61
Eating Out
Bansko
$146
Banda Aceh
$64 56.2% $82
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bansko
$120
Banda Aceh
$59 50.8% $61
Clothing & Footwear
Bansko
$65
Banda Aceh
$54 16.3% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Bansko
$44
Banda Aceh
$9.7 * 78% $34
Getting Around
Bansko
$35
Banda Aceh
- * 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Bansko versus $7.00 in Banda Aceh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $133 – making Banda Aceh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Bansko
🇮🇩 Banda Aceh
🕒 Local time
06:07 6:07 AM
10:07 10:07 AM
4 h ahead of Bansko
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,000
223,446
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bansko Banda Aceh 8,090 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bansko
  • Banda Aceh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Bansko vs Banda Aceh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banda Aceh cheaper than Bansko?
Yes – Bansko is pricier by about 201%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,447 per month in Bansko and $480 in Banda Aceh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Bansko and in Banda Aceh?
Groceries cost about 46% more in Bansko, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Bansko or in Banda Aceh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Bansko and $7.00 in Banda Aceh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Bansko or in Banda Aceh?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banda Aceh, where all-in costs run around $320, than in Bansko at $965. In Banda Aceh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bansko it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bansko or Banda Aceh more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Banda Aceh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Bansko or Banda Aceh?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Banda Aceh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bansko makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Bansko vs other spots: cost of living compared

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